Throughline domains, concerns, issues and problems

by Chloe
(England)

Hi,


I'm a bit stuck with the throughlines and I was just wondering if maybe you had any suggestions for my story in regards to the domains, concerns, issues etc.?

My story is ...

The main character (Alyssia) takes on an offer to train as a dancer while still doing her exams. It is like a trial period in which she takes part in the preparations and activities taken by a backing dancer before going on tour and at the end of the period she is assessed and it is decided whether the company will offer her a placement. The tour that she is taking part in the preparations for is for a boy band and she develops a close relationship with one of the members (the impact character - Harry). Alyssia likes to create good impressions on people and has a fear somewhat of others thinking badly of her. As a result, she tries to do everything at once (her exams and being a backing dancer), she tries to please everyone, she doesn't tell her friends of what she is doing, she rejects Harry to a relationship (because of what fans might think), she tries to keep a low profile with the press and fans etc., and she is fairly shy - meaning her performance skills are weak and she doesn't put herself forward for things. However, she has high aspirations and is confident in herself inside, which is why she took the opportunity in the first place.

On the other hand, Harry doesn't think of himself highly inside but seems confident on the outside. He doesn't let haters affect him and he persuades Alyssia to do what she truly wants (eg having a relationship with him) and not worry about others. He was
in a similar situation himself in which he had to choose between exams or a singing career - he chose a singing career.

There is a timelock on the story in which Alyssia has to be ready for her exams and the final assessment for her dancing. At the end Alyssia stops worrying about what people think of her and her actions so much - she does what she wants wants and doesn't hold back as much succeeding in passing her exams and getting a place in the company.

This is loosely what I have so far, sorry if it is a bit confusing.

Thank you for you time and help!

Answer: I assume you are using the Dramatica software?

Very quickly, it sounds as though your story goal (and therefore Overall Concern) is obtaining - her quest to win a placement.

That would make the MC throughline either Situation or Fixed Attitude. Situation makes sense to me. You could give her a Concern of The Future (she's trying to bring about a better Future for herself). That would make the Impact Character's throughline Fixed Attitude and his concern Innermost Desires (hence, he argues for putting her own desires ahead of what others think).

Their relationship would therefore be Manipulation, and the Concern would be Changing One's Nature - i.e. they would argue over whether one should give up a part of themselves (change) in order to obtain their desired goal. Should she give up her concern with what others think? Should he give up his aloofness?

That still leaves issues. But I think if you like these choices and you enter them into the software (along with a Timelock as the limit), you will find your list of options is sufficiently narrowed.

Hope that helps.

Comments for Throughline domains, concerns, issues and problems

Click here to add your own comments

Thank you!
by: Chloe

Thank you very much, this was very helpful!
I think I've got my head round it now

Story Driver
by: Chloe

I'm a bit stuck again, I skipped the story driver question and this currently is the only unfinished question before my storyform is chosen.

Do you have any suggestions for this?

Story Driver
by: Chloe

I'm a bit stuck again, I skipped the story driver question and this currently is the only unfinished question before my storyform is chosen.

Do you have any suggestions for this?

Response
by: Glen

Only you can make this call. You should think about...

What event begins the story, without which nothing that follows would happen?

What is the climactic moment that determines whether the story goal is achieved?

Are these two events decisions or actions?

Each act will begin and end with a driver - an event which changes the direction of the story.

How do people respond to these events? Do the drivers force people to make decisions (in which case you have an action driver) or do they force people to take action (therefore, a decision driver)?

Story Driver
by: Chloe

Okay, so if the opening event is her getting the offer when the recruiter comes round personally, and the climax is her final audition (or would it be the final meeting when she gets all the results?), the story driver would be actions which force decisions?

is this right?
and am I right in assuming that she would feel comfortable with this type of driver being a do-er?

Story Driver
by: Chloe

Okay, so if the opening event is a recruiter coming to her personally and offering her the opportunity, and the climatic moment is her final audition (or would it be when she gets the overall result of her audition?), the driver would be actions which force decisions?

Is this right?
and am I right to say that as she is a do-er she would feel comfortable with this driver?

Response
by: Glen

Absolutely correct. Do-ers are in their element in stories that are driven by action. She may not know if she'll nail her audition, but she'll feel more at home doing it than mulling over what decision to make. (Her final audition will be the driver that causes them decide to offer her the prize.)

Thank you!
by: Chloe

Okay, thank you very much for your help!!

Fixed Attitude
by: Chloe

Hello, sorry to keep asking you questions, I'm just getting a bit confused with my storyform questions.

Previously you mentioned that Harry (IC) seems to be the representive of Fixed Attitude in the story. I have had a think and I wasn't wanting Harry to be an aloof type character. I invisaged Alyssia as being the character who has a more fixed type of attitude as it is she who - though not entirely aware of it - 'fears' in a way people thinking badly of her and this affects her actions and choices.

I then went back to dramatica and changed the MC and IC domain around. However, this changed the growth and start and the approach to a be-er. This could still work I suppose as she could start to let go of her insecurities, and being a be-er was alright as I wasn't too sure about her being a do-er, this was chosen for me when her throughline was situation.

Do you have any advice for if this works?

Is there another to solve the problem, such as that having Harry as fixed attitude doesn't particulary mean he has an aloofness quality?

Maybe an explanation in slight more depth might help me to understand better?

I'm also not sure about the obtaining concern for the OC throughline as I'm not sure that everybody is concerned with obtaining something - do you have any advice here?

Sorry for all of the questions - Thank you for your time!

Fixed
by: Chloe

^I also meant to comment that perhaps it is Harry's situation (choosing his career etc.) that has in influence in persuading her to let go slighly.

Though, in a way, it is his feelings towards haters that makes Alyssia see the other side of the coin

Response
by: Glen

You have to play around with different combinations, different storyforms until you find the one that best fits - that clearly has the elements you feel most strongly about.

Always make the choices you feel most clear on first, before the software can lock them out by prioritizing a less important choice.

That said, I think I suggested Obtaining as a goal because there will be other candidates at her audition, others with an interest in the outcome, and the entertainment industry is rife with competition (obtaining can refer to winning, getting jobs, getting success, etc.). But you have to decide what their common interest is.

Aloofness was my word; you don't have to use it. It sounded to me like his concern with innermost desires could be the key to how he influences her.

Thank you!
by: Chloe

Okay thank you, I'll play around with it a bit more and see what it comes out with

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and submit your own question/topic! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Questions About Novel Writing.